Crossing the Monster Mountain Range

The canopies of the towering ancient trees, like dark green domes, cut the sunlight into fragments, casting only swaying spots of light on the ground covered with thick fallen leaves.

Three days have passed since they set off from their family. Thanks to the speed of Lin Ming and his companions, they have now penetrated Deep within the Monster Mountain Range.

In the Monster Mountain Range, Lin Ming took a deep breath, the unique, damp scent of humus and rich Spirit Qi wafting towards him.

"The energy here is much denser than when we first entered the area," Xiao Yi Xian said softly, still dressed in white, like a pure lotus blooming in this dark and dense forest.

She concealed her aura as Two-Star Dou Ancestor extremely well. Unless one deliberately sensed it, she was almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person. However, her pale purple eyes would occasionally reveal a pressure that was enough to terrify ordinary Magical Beasts.

"Hehe, that's perfect! There must be lots of good stuff here!" Upon hearing this, Zi Yan excitedly rubbed her fists together, sniffing the air with her small nose, trying to find something that would excite her.

Seeing Zi Yan's expression, Lin Ming smiled helplessly, his gaze sweeping across the deep, dense forest before him. "Zi Yan," he said, "We're only here to rest in our pursuit of the Barbarian. So even if we find something good, don't touch it. In the Deep within the Monster Mountain Range, Seventh Order Demonic Beast are not uncommon, and there might even be Eighth Order ones. If we provoke such terrifying beings, forget about chasing the Barbarian; we might not even be able to escape on our own. So please, stay calm!"

After saying that, seeing Zi Yan pouting, Lin Ming helplessly took out a Jade Bottle and gave it to her. Zi Yan immediately became cheerful.

After calming Zi Yan down, Lin Ming didn't rest. He immediately spread his Soul Power outwards, like an invisible spider web, sensing the energy fluctuations within a radius of several miles.

After all, this was Deep within the Monster Mountain Range. Although none of the three were weaklings, it was best to avoid trouble if possible.

As the Soul Power swept through, Lin Ming's brows suddenly furrowed. Because as this power spread outward from his own center, a faint Soul Fluctuation came from the northwest.

This fluctuation was extremely faint; if Lin Ming's Soul Power hadn't been so strong, he probably wouldn't have been able to sense it.

Sensing something amiss, Lin Ming looked towards the dense forest to the northwest and said, "There's something unusual to the northwest!"

"What is it?" Xiao Yi Xian asked immediately upon seeing Lin Ming's reaction.

In response, Lin Ming replied, "I don't know, I only sensed a faint Soul Fluctuation."

"There does seem to be something over there!" Zi Yan said, sniffing the air.

"Shall we go take a look?" Xiao Yi Xian asked in a clear voice after Lin Ming and Zi Yan had both spoken.

Upon hearing Xiao Yi Xian's question, Lin Ming immediately fell into deep thought. After all, he had just told Zi Yan not to cause any unnecessary trouble. But this person had run into their resting area first, so checking them was for safety's sake.

Seeing Lin Ming nod, Zi Yan immediately jumped up.

The three traveled for about half an hour when Lin Ming suddenly raised his hand, signaling to stop. He had detected that the source of the Soul Fluctuation was just ahead.

At that moment, a foul wind and a low, guttural roar came from ahead.

Through the gaps in the dense bushes, a valley could be seen in the distance. And in this valley, a massive Blood Rock Earth Dragon was furiously pawing at the ground.

Its body was covered in blood-red, rock-like scales, and its aura had reached the Peak Sixth Tier, equivalent to Human Dou Emperor Expert. Opposite it, a purple plant emitting a strange fragrance swayed slightly, and several skeletons of other Magical Beasts were scattered around it.

"It's the 'Purple Spirit Quenching Soul Grass,' which has miraculous effects on nourishing the soul. No wonder it can radiate Soul Power." Upon seeing the purple plant, Lin Ming pondered for a moment before recognizing it.

"This big guy's guarding it!" With that, Zi Yan licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. "Lin Ming, let me go take care of it!"

Lin Ming pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Quickly finish this, and don't make too much of a commotion."

Upon hearing this, Zi Yan's pretty face immediately blossomed into a bright smile.

She no longer suppressed her aura; a wild and fierce momentum surged into the sky, and her petite figure transformed into a streak of purple lightning, rushing straight towards the Blood Rock Earth Dragon.

Under Zi Yan's aura, the Blood Rock Earth Dragon, whose once proud and diluted Dragon Clan Bloodline had now seen their emperor, trembled with fear.

Despite the suppression of its bloodline, the Blood Rock Earth Dragon still roared in anger at the moment, feeling a real threat. At the same time, its thick tail swept fiercely towards Zi Yan with a shrill sound that Space-Rending.

However, facing the Blood Rock Earth Dragon's counterattack, Zi Yan neither dodged nor evaded, her fair little fist seemingly floating out.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, the air blasted out from where the fists and heels met, causing the surrounding ancient trees to sway violently.

The dragon's tail, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, was smashed by Zi Yan's punch, its scales shattered and blood gushing out. The Earth Dragon let out a painful howl, its eyes filled with disbelief and terror.

"Big guy, you're not strong enough!" Zi Yan chuckled, launching an attack like a storm.

Her fighting style is extremely wild, relying entirely on physical strength and speed; her fists, feet, elbows, and knees—every part of her body becomes a terrifying weapon.

The Blood Rock Earth Dragon's proud defense proved fragile in the face of the Ancient Void Dragon's absolute power, and it was quickly beaten and left battered and bruised, only able to let out desperate roars.

Lin Ming and Xiao Yi Xian watched the battle quietly from the sidelines. Xiao Yi Xian, seeing Zi Yan fight like this for the first time, was quite shocked and said, "Zi Yan's fighting style..."

"There's nothing we can do. Although she looks like Little Girl, her true form is actually Magical Beasts." Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's expression, Lin Ming immediately laughed.

In the short time it took Lin Ming to talk with Xiao Yi Xian, the Blood Rock Earth Dragon was already covered in wounds from Zi Yan's punches.

Just moments before Zi Yan was about to completely defeat the Blood Rock Earth Dragon, Lin Ming's brows furrowed sharply, and he abruptly turned to look in a direction deep within the dense forest. "Something's coming! It's moving very fast, and its aura... is very strong!"

Almost the instant his words fell, a chilling pressure swept in from that direction like a tidal wave! The Blood Rock Earth Dragon, which had been roaring arrogantly, now trembled as if it had encountered its natural enemy, its massive body crawling on the ground, not even having the courage to run away.

Zi Yan also stopped attacking, her face becoming serious, and she flashed back to Lin Ming and Xiao Yi Xian's side.

Deep within the dark forest, two crimson lights shone, like lanterns from hell. Then, a massive figure slowly emerged.

It was a Giant Tiger, entirely black, even larger than the Blood Rock Earth Dragon. Its fur was like the deepest night sky, covered with eerie silver markings, resembling the Star Trails. Most peculiarly, it had wings growing from its ribs, which, though folded, gave the impression of being able to blot out the sky at any moment.

The aura it emitted had reached the Seventh Order, which was equivalent to a human Dou Zong!

"Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger ..." Xiao Yi Xian uttered a name softly, her tone becoming more solemn, "I never expected to encounter such a rare and ferocious creature here."

The Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's crimson pupils coldly swept over the crouching Blood Rock Earth Dragon, which immediately let out a whimper, its courage completely shattered, and it stopped breathing.

Immediately, its gaze locked onto Lin Ming and the other two, especially lingering on Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan for a moment, clearly sensing the powerful energy contained within this human and the Magical Beasts in human form.

It let out a low growl, the sound not loud, but with a penetrating power that struck straight to the soul. The surrounding air became viscous, filled with violent Sectarian Qi.

"It seems there's no way to avoid it." Lin Ming took a step forward, his Dou Qi surging and roaring within him, and emerald flames rose from his body, causing the surrounding temperature to rise sharply. Facing Seventh Order Mid-Level Demonic Beast, equivalent to Dou Zong expert, he dared not be careless in the slightest.

Xiao Yi Xian also moved slightly, standing side by side with Lin Ming. On her fair, jade-like hands, gray, Calamity Poison Gas flickered, emanating a destructive aura that sent chills down one's spine. Even Dou Zong would be extremely wary of her poison.

Although Zi Yan was slightly weaker, she showed no fear. Purple-gold light flowed across her body, and the pressure of the Ancient Void Dragon subtly countered the ferocity of the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger.

Enraged by the combined power of the three, the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger suddenly opened its massive jaws, and a pillar of light formed from the Star Power, like a destructive torrent, instantly tore through the earth and shot towards the three!

"I'll do it!"

Lin Ming let out a low shout, his hands forming a seal, Jade Profound Heart Flame in front of him rapidly condensed, transforming into a huge fire shield.

"Boom!"

The Dark Light Pillar slammed into the Flame Shield with a deafening roar. The Energy Ripple spread wildly, reducing all the trees within a hundred feet to dust.

Lin Ming's body trembled violently, and his arm even felt slightly numb. But in the end, he managed to withstand the attack thanks to the power of the Heavenly Flames. The gap between the Peak Dou Emperor and Dou Zong was minimized thanks to the power of the Jade Profound Heart Flame.

Just as the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's old power had dissipated and its new power had not yet been generated, Xiao Yi Xian made her move.

Her figure floated out like a ghost, and with a flick of her fingertips, several wisps of gray energy, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, seemed to possess life, bypassing the area ravaged by energy and silently attacking the eyes and nose of the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger.

The Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger possessed extremely high intelligence. Sensing the deadly threat contained within the gray aura, it suddenly flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind in an attempt to disperse the poisonous gas. At the same time, the silver markings on its body suddenly lit up, forming a layer of starlight shield.

"Hiss!"

The Calamity Poison Gas made a corrosive sound upon contact with the starlight shield, which quickly dimmed. Zi Yan seized the opportunity, letting out a sharp cry as her body swelled several sizes, her arms covered in purple-gold dragon scales. She unleashed a punch, accompanied by a faint dragon roar, aimed directly at the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's weak point in the waist and abdomen!

Caught between two attacks, the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger roared angrily, whipping its long, whip-like Tiger Tail at Zi Yan. At the same time, it spewed out several dark spheres containing terrifying energy, which hurtled towards Xiao Yi Xian.

The battle instantly intensified. Lin Ming provided long-range support with the Jade Profound Heart Flame, the blazing flames sometimes transforming into spears to pierce through, and sometimes into Sea of Fire to spread, greatly disrupting the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's movements. Xiao Yi Xian's Calamity Poison Gas was pervasive, forcing it to divert its attention to defense. Zi Yan, on the other hand, relied on her powerful physique to engage in the most dangerous close-quarters combat, each collision unleashing astonishing energy fluctuations.

This ancient forest has been devastated; the earth has cracked and rocks have collapsed.

As the battle dragged on without a clear victor, the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger grew increasingly agitated. It suddenly roared to the sky, its silver markings gleaming brightly, seemingly dimming the heavens as dense Star Power surged forth.

Seeing this, among the three, Zi Yan was undoubtedly the most familiar with Magical Beasts. Therefore, Zi Yan immediately warned, "Be careful, it's about to use its Innate Supernatural Power!"

The Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger spread its wings completely, and countless silver light spots gathered above it, transforming into incomparably sharp Star Light Blade that poured down like a torrential rain, covering the entire area with no way to avoid them!

"Let's attack together!"

Lin Ming's eyes sharpened, his hands moving rapidly. The Jade Profound Heart Flame soared into the sky, transforming into a gigantic Flame Giant Dragon that roared as it met the barrage of light blades. Xiao Yi Xian clasped her hands together, her boundless battle Dou Qi merging with the Calamity Poison Gas to form a gray-purple energy pillar that shot straight into the clouds. Zi Yan also pushed her Bloodline Power to its limit, unleashing a punch that seemed to shake the stars!

"Boom! Boom boom boom!"

The three powerful forces clashed violently with the storm of Star Light Blade, as if the heavens and earth were about to collapse. The blinding light was too intense to look at directly, and the terrifying energy storm shrank the ground by another three feet.

As the light gradually faded, the scene before them became clear. The Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's aura had weakened considerably, and its body bore several charred and corroded marks; one of its wings was even torn in half. Lin Ming and his companions also appeared somewhat disheveled, their auras fluctuating, clearly indicating that their combined attack had taken a heavy toll.

A flicker of resentment and apprehension flashed in the Dark Demonic Star Fiend Tiger's crimson pupils. It stared intently at Xiao Yi Xian, seemingly understanding that this woman who used poison was the most troublesome. Finally, it let out a low roar, flapped its wings, and transformed into a streak of black light, quickly disappearing into the depths of the dense forest, choosing to retreat.

The three did not give chase; it would be too costly to capture Seventh Order Mid-Level Demonic Beast that was determined to escape.

Lin Ming breathed a sigh of relief as the turbulent Qi and Blood within him gradually calmed down. He looked at Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan; apart from being quite exhausted, they were both unharmed.

"This Monster Mountain Range is indeed a place where dragons and tigers hide," Lin Ming remarked.

Xiao Yi Xian walked to the Purple Spirit Quenching Soul Grass, carefully picked it, and handed it to Lin Ming: "Your Soul Power is strong, this will be even more useful to you."

Zi Yan then ran over and dug out the Blood Rock Earth Dragon's Magic Core, happily putting it away.